UW Plans Sculpture of Tommy Thompson

Volume 13, Number 2 | January 2012

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The Friends of Tommy Thompson, in partnership with the University of Wyoming Foundation, want to ensure his likeness stands forever on the campus he worked tirelessly to beautify for 33 years.

To preserve the memory of an outstanding campus citizen—Thompson (BS,‘58) was hired by Otto Dahl in 1960 to work in the UW greenhouses and rose to greenhouse supervisor and floriculturist by his retirement in 1993—Friends of Tommy are raising funds for a life-sized sculpture to be placed in the flower garden south of Merica Hall.

Laramie artist Robert Seabeck has created renderings of the memorial, and Casper sculptor Leland Johnson has agreed to carve the bronze. UW will provide the base for the sculpture. Friends of Tommy hope to complete the project and host a dedication ceremony in spring 2012.

Thompson was long one of UW’s unsung heroes, often working on his hands and knees to plant and water flowers across campus. His lifelong passion for landscaping began at age 14, when he landed his first job watering, irrigating and mowing at Undine and Washington parks in Laramie.

To support the bronze tribute to Thompson, call the UW Foundation at (307) 766-6300 or (888) 831-7795, or Gary Espeland of Friends of Tommy at (307) 745-4390.